Kurama
(Youko) Kurama (蔵馬, (Fox) Kurama) is a fictional character in the anime and manga series YuYu Hakusho by Yoshihiro Togashi. In the human world, Kurama is also known as Shuichi Minamino (南野秀一, Minamino Shuuichi). Kurama's seiyū are Megumi Ogata for his human form, and Shigeru Nakahara as Youko Kurama. As there are several US dubs done by different companies, Kurama has had three English voice actors: John Burgmeier in the FUNimation version, Sean Barker in the Media Blasters dub, and Hideo Seaver in U.S. Manga Corps' version. Height: 5'11 (7' in youko form.) Age: 15 at the series start, about 17 at the end. (Youko form: 3000 years) Eyes: Green (Topaz/amber/red in youko form) Hair Color: Red (Silver in youko form) Personality Kurama is generally regarded as the most calm and level-headed member of the group (though in the manga he does take issue with being mistaken for a girl). His analytical nature is present in battle where he prefers to study the strengths and weaknesses of his opponents before devising a strategy of his own, but has exhibited a cutthroat side of his personality when truly angered. He is highly protective of those he cares about and is often merciless to anyone that poses them a threat, a shift in his usually friendly manner. In fact, he is considered the most cunning and ruthless of the group, a testament to his past as the legendary yōuko (fox demon) bandit Kurama. In many instances, Kurama has shown to be very self-sacrificing in the interests of the safety of his friends and family, and often receives the most serious wounds in combat. Yusuke Urameshi will often call him "Fox Boy". Because he was the result of a Fox Demon and a human embryo merging both spiritually and physically, Kurama also develops a mildly split personality, dividing his merged self from his Fox Demon self. He will sometimes refer to his Fox Demon side as being a separate entity, and vice versa during the Karasu fight. He even has a vision of his human, fox and merged self. In the anime Youko even briefly speaks to the partially-human Kurama. History Fox Demon/Yōuko Kurama was a cold hearted yōuko (hence the name Yōuko Kurama) and ruthless thief in the Makai considered to be an A-class demon. After being wounded by a bounty hunter while in his spirit fox ( youko kitsune) form, Kurama sent his spirit into the Ningenkai (human world) where his spirit took refuge within an unborn child that had not yet gained a soul. Kurama intended to recover his strength as the child developed and leave Ningenkai to return to Makai after an estimated ten years. However, sometime during or before the tenth year, an act of selflessness by his mother, Shiori Minamino, opened Kurama's eyes to pain he had caused his mother while growing up, which causes or influences his decision to continue living his human life as Shiori's son. Youko Kurama has silver hair and amber eyes. He possesses silver fox ears upon his head and one tail in his bipedal form. In kitsune form, Youko has silver fur and five tails. In the anime, his eyes are glowing red, though many believe his eyes are golden in that form, just like his Youko form. Since Kurama's kitsune identity appeared earlier in the anime, when it was still developing, the creators probably added the glowing red eyes to make Kurama's past form seem more demonic. Synopsis Spirit Detective Saga Kurama is first introduced to the series with Hiei and Goki (Gouki in the English anime, Goki in the English manga). Together they stole three powerful artifacts from Spirit World, which Yusuke Urameshi has to retrieve as his first assignment as Spirit Detective. Kurama stole the Forlorn Hope (Mirror of Darkness in the manga), a mirror that has the power to grant its user a wish during the full moon in exchange for their life. Upon meeting Kurama, Yusuke finds out that Kurama has no intention of using the mirror to cause harm, but only wishes to use its power to save his mother from an illness. Kurama would have certainly died after making the wish if Yusuke did not intervene asking the mirror to take his life instead. Moved by Yusuke's selfless act, the Forlorn Hope granted Kurama's wish without taking any life (In the manga and Japanese version of the anime, the Mirror splits the energy difference between Yusuke and Kurama). As thanks, Kurama aids Yusuke in defeating Hiei, taking a blow from Hiei's sword and blinding Hiei's Jagan Eye with his own blood. After Yusuke is assigned with Kazuma Kuwabara to eliminate the four Saint Beasts, Kurama and Hiei join them as reparation for their crimes against Spirit World. Kurama faces off against the stone beast Genbu, and reveals his rose whip for the first time. He is injured in the process, but ultimately finds Genbu's weak spot, and then supports the others as they make their way through the castle. Dark Tournament Saga Kurama joins with the other protagonists to form Team Urameshi when Toguro issues his challenge, and fights increasingly difficult battles. Kurama's first fight is against Roto, of team Rokuyokai (Jolly Devil Six in the English Manga). It becomes obvious that he has Roto outclassed when Roto pulls a dirty trick: he reveals that he has a demon brother that is stalking Kurama's mother, and will bite her head off. when he receives a signal. Kurama, supposedly realizing that he can do nothing, takes Roto's attacks. However, in a brief act of defiance, he is able to embed a Death Plant seed into Roto's body using a diversion, and paralyzes his opponent. Crushing the transmitter, Kurama then causes the plant to bloom, killing Roto instantly. During the third battle of the Dark Tournament, against Team Masho, Kurama first squares off against Gama, a demon who fights using paint made out of his own blood. He first causes seals to appear on Kurama's arms and legs, making them extremely heavy and cutting down on his mobility, thus making him unable to conventionally wield his rose whip, but he managed to slash Gama by using his own hair in wielding his signature whip. Just before he dies, Gama uses his blood to create his most powerful seal, locking in Kurama's demon energy inside him, leaving him at the mercy of the next fighter to enter the ring: Toya. Toya easily gains the upper hand, and Kurama takes several wounds from the shinobi. Not wanting to lose this match, he plants the death seed within himself, enabling him to release it from inside him, impaling Touya. The third member of Team Masho, the sadistic Bakken, pummels the unconscious Kurama mercilessly until Yusuke threatens to kill him with a spirit-gun blast unless he stops. Kurama is then thrown out of the ring as Yusuke takes over. Then, while fighting Ura Urashima of Team Uratogi (Fractured Fairy Tales in the English manga), Ura uses an item called The Reverse Treasure Box (Reverse Magic Box in English Manga, Idun Box in the English Dub) which is meant to be used to transform Kurama into a helpless child. However, it goes back too far, transforming Kurama back into his original form of Yōuko Kurama. Since his personality has also reverted to what is was before becoming a human, Kurama became completely emotionless and ruthless. He threatened to torture Ura Urashima into telling him the secrets of the box so he can continue to transform, when Shishiwakamaru breaks the barrier that was keeping the smoke inside the arena. The smoke gone, Kurama goes back to his human body and is the winner of the match, but is still obsessed with the secrets of the box. The last opponent Kurama faces in this tournament is Karasu, a man with an obsessive desire to kill Kurama. Knowing that he cannot defeat Karasu in his human form, Kurama seeks a way to transform himself back into his old yōko self. Suzuka of Team Uratogi gives Kurama some potion made from the Fruit of the Past Life (from either Spirit World or Demon World, depending upon whether the source is the English or Japanese version) that he used to make the Reverse Treasure Box. After testing it, Kurama finds out that it will make him transform into yōko, but only for fifteen minutes. Kurama takes some of the potion before his battle with Karasu, but it does not take effect until after he is badly injured. However, the potion's effect wears off even before the fifteen minutes are over. Karasu manages to severely injure Kurama in his human form, but Kurama unleashes a blood-sucking plant on Karasu, ending Karasu's life. However, Kurama does not die as he expected because each time he drank the potion, the effect does not last as long because he regained some of his original demon strength, and this enabled him to survive. Due to a technicality, he is declared the loser of the match because he was unable to get up before the count was over. Chapter Black Saga Kurama returns to his normal life after the Tournament, when Yusuke is kidnapped by Genkai's students. As always, Kurama is the first one to fight. In the quest to rescue his friend, he faces off in a battle of wits against his school rival, Yuu Kaito, and defeats him to allow passage of the rest of the group. During the subsequent battles with Sensui, Kurama plays a major role when the group encounters Amanuma( Game Master). Kurama is the first to grasp Sensui's cruelty in using the boy, forcing a choice to either kill Amanuma or let the Gateway open. Kurama informs Amanuma that he will die if he loses, a trick to make his opponent lose his concentration. Kurama wins against Amanuma, but is torn with regret and anger that he was forced to kill the boy (evidenced by him clenching his fists so hard his nails make his palms bleed). Eager for revenge, when Sensui offers to let Kuwabara go if the group can kill Makihara, Kurama steps forth, silencing Yusuke's protests with icy words and resolve. He decapitates Makihara in a move so brutal and quick that even Hiei is shocked, and then declares that he knows who Makihara is really controlled by. Elder Toguro emerges from the remaining part of Makihara's head, explaining to the rest of Kurama's team that, despite Kurama's calm facade, Kurama is actually very torn up on the inside, both because he feels guilty for killing the boy, and because his former demon self would have never shown such hesitation (weakness) in the first place. Toguro claims to find great glee in the chance to kill the spirit fox. However, Kurama traps Toguro into eternal damnation in the clutches of the Sinning Tree, a rather cruel and ruthless maneuver very reminiscent of Youko Kurama. Later, Kurama's anger over Yusuke's death pushes his energy to A class levels, transforming him into Youko Kurama as a reflex, to his advantage. He is able to do little against Sensui, however, and is saved from death when the newly reborn Yusuke arrives. Between the events of the Chapter Black and the Saga of the Three Kings, Shiori Minamino remarries, and her new husband is Hatanaka, the president at a company where Shiori works. Kurama also gains a new stepbrother, also named Shuichi (whose name was changed to Kokota for the English version). Three Kings Saga In the Saga of the Three Kings, Kurama is called on by Yomi, his former partner when he was still a thief in Makai. Kurama's internal struggles become more apparent in this saga because of the three different aspects of himself: Kurama, as he is when he fights alongside Yusuke and his companions, Yoko, and the human Shuichi Minamino. At this point, wherein he relives most of his past, his Yoko personality is somewhat predominant, as it seems that he is becoming more and more like his old self, before he came to human world. In moments of duress or battle, Kurama (who had yet to fully suppress his Yoko side) would transform into Yoko. After meeting Yomi, he has apparently improved his strength greatly to lower S levels. However against the mid S-class Shachi, Kurama transforms into his Yoko self and easily overpowers Shachi. Kurama becomes Yomi's new right hand man. After the death of Raizen, Yusuke comes to Yomi's territory with a proposition: a new tournament which will determine the ruler of the whole of Makai. Yomi accepts and the tournament begins. Kurama's team (made up of the surviving members of Teams Masho, Uratogi, and Rokuyokai from the Dark Tournament) qualifies easily in the preliminary round, but after the team faces stronger opponents, each member is defeated one by one. Then, Kurama fights Shigure, "The Demon Surgeon." Though Kurama is in the lower S-class power level, he is no match for Shigure. During a fierce battle, he transforms into an upper S-class Yoko and easily uses super speed to avoid Shigure, but willfully transforms back into his human self, stating that he will not resort to using Yoko. Despite being weaker than Shigure, he is able to cause the large dormant tree they are using as an arena to bloom, having merged it with a cherry tree seed before the fight began. This causes Shigure to lose the match as his weapon gets stripped from him, giving Kurama the win. However, Kurama is unable to continue with the tournament and withdraws due to severe injuries. After his fight with Shigure, he decides to not look to the past for answers, but to the future. With his loyalty to his human mother and his friends, he leaves his Youko lifestyle behind, as he tells Yomi. He decides to return home to live out his human life. After the end of the Makai/Demon World Tournament, Kurama goes back to Ningenkai and gets a job at his stepfather's company. He lives like a normal human being from then on alongside Yusuke, Kuwabara, and his other friends - except for Hiei, who decides to continue living in Makai, according to the anime. In the manga, which deviates after the end of the Makai Tournament, he does not entirely give up the demon world or the detective lifestyle as Yusuke frequently calls on him for help in solving the cases for his Spirit Detective business. There is a severe change of story after the Three Kings Saga, mainly in that not only does the Kekkai Barrier come down, but demons pop up in human world frequently, often appearing on talk shows (Koto, Juri and Ruka from the Dark Tournament are seen being interviewed by a popular TV host). Techniques/Moves Rose Whip: Kurama's signature technique where he uses his spirit energy to grow a rose from its seed state to its flowering state and then into a long thorny whip that is capable of cutting even through steel. :Rose Whiplash: Kurama swiftly slashes the whip in multiple directions. Rose Whip Thorn Wheel: a whirlwind of rose petals hovers around Kurama and if the opponent/attacker gets within a certain range the petals attack and rip them to shreds. Seed of the Death Plant: This is a small seed that Kurama plants in his opponent's body and can be manipulated using his spirit energy. After it has had enough time to secure its roots within the victim's body, the seed kills the victim. Death Tree: this is a giant carnivorous tree with an acidic saliva that strikes anything that moves. Ojigi Plant: a plant indigenous to South America. It responds to movements or flammables by closing its leaves around its prey and crushes it to death. Lamp Weed: plants that act as markers for Kurama to find his way back. Sinning Tree: the tree responds to the memories of the victims and forces them to replay their fears until they die. Leaf of a Plant: this plant appears as "wings" similar to that of a butterfly on Kurama's back that double as a glider. The Binding Fist of the Demonic Vine: it is similar to the Rose Whip in that it is composed of a vine with thorns, but this time it grows around Kurama's arm and is wielded as a sword-like weapon. Okunenju Roots: It involves growing a large tree that overran the entire fighting arena. It resembles a cherry tree, reflective of Kurama's memories of climbing the cherry tree in his front yard as a child. Trivia *In demon form, Kurama resembles Sesshomaru and Inuyasha from the Inuyasha series though Youko Kurama's first appearance occurred in Japan before Sesshomaru and Inuyasha were created. *On the last episode of the anime (112), two girls mistake Kurama for Kuwabara's girlfriend. Kuwabara throws a fit, but Kurama doesn't seem to mind. This is a stark contrast to a similar scene in the manga, where Kuwabara was trying to calm an irate Kurama (who remains bitter about this for a few chapters afterward). *On episode 111, Kurama jokes with Hiei when the fire demon gives Kurama a Hiruiseki stone, saying, "Hiei, I can't accept this. I value our friendship and everything we've been through but... I'm not interested in you that way." Hiei sweatdrops, before throwing a fit over Kurama's joke. This scene does not appear in the manga. *Kurama was once in love with a supernaturally-obsessed classmate named Maya, but felt unable to confess his true feelings to her because of the danger to anyone he cares about. After she was nearly killed by Hiei and almost devoured by a demon, he erased her memories of him to keep her out of danger. This may explain his lack of romantic interests. Category:Kurama Category:Characters